Automatic disconnecting device



1932- H. A. w. WOOD 7 AUTOMATIC DISCONNECTING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 22, 1928 15/9522; yliZ/eW Oct. 18, 1932. wJwoo 1,883,225

AUTOMATIC DI SCONNECTING DEVICE Filed Nov. 22, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 Z77 emr zeal 4%)? 7494? Patented Oct. 18, v1932 UNITED s'rnTEs PATENT OFFICE mm: A. wzsn woon, or 'nnw'zoax. n. n, Asammon.v r woon nnwsruna ncmnnr coaronanon, 01' nnwvoax, n. 2., A conroasrrox or vmemra j auroxa'rrc msconnnc'rrnc imvrcl.

ap uuuu 11m November :2, 1m. Serial 10. 321,202.

This invention relates to a safety device for use in various kinds of machinery to disconnect the parts when they encounter so much resistance" that otherwise breakage would occur.

The principal objects of the invention are to rovide mechamcal means for automatica y disconnectin the drive without breaking an part of t e device and to provide means y which it can be set back into operative position in a very easy and convenlent manner and also to provide improvements in the details of construction. I 4 4 Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which ig. 1 is an end view of a shaft connection showmg a preferred embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same;

Fi 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a mo 'fied'construction; and

Fig. 4 is aside view of the same.

In machines where a great strain might cause breakage of arts, safety devices are used to prevent suc breaka e. In Figs. 1 and'2 I have shown a device or this purpose I which, when any undue strain is apphed, will disconnect the driving member from the driven member automatically, without fracturing a pin or any other part of the machine.

In these figures I have shown a driving shaft 10 and a driven shaft 11. Each of these shafts has a head as 12 and- 13. On the head 12 is a fixed pin 14, which is the driving means that transmits power to the shaft 11. For this purpose it enga as a projection 15 on a bell crank 16 'pivote on a stud 18 carried by the head 13. This bell crank is provided on its other arm, which is at n ht angles to the arm carrying the projection 15, with-a ivot stud 19, on which 1s pivoted a rod 20. 's rod passes loosely throu h a perforation in a proj ection21 carried in xed position on the head 13. On the rod is a nut 22 which can be adjusted to regulate the pressure of a spring .23 that surrounds the rod and bears on the nut and on the projection 21. v 1

to swing the bell cranlr lt Land compress the spring 23.

However, when p the strain becomes too great, this small component is increased to such an extent that the in 14 will push the projection 15 outwar y to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and thus swing the bell crank until the pin 19 is turned a considerable distance downwardly in that figure, when the toggle formed by the stud 18 pin 19 and projection 21 will be turned the otheri way and the bell crank will remain in its outer position. Thus the shaft 10 can continue to rotate and the head of the pin 14 will no longer strike the projection 15.

It will be noticed that there 1s a stop member 24 on the bell crank, one stop surface of which engages an adjustable stop screw 25- in the normal position shown in,

full lines in Fig. 1. The other side of this stop will engage the other adjustable stop screw 26 when the bell crank moves to the dotted-line position, thus limiting the motion of the bell crankin both directions. The bell crank has'a button 27 integrally mounted thereon, normally within the circumference of the head 13, and projected out beyond the same when in dotted line position.

To reset theldevice it is necessary only to in either position in which it is placed. Yet

it is not positive.

In the form shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the shafts and heads, driving pin 14 and projection 15 are. the same as in the first two figures. The projection 15 is mounted on a lever 30, pivoted on the head 13 and havin on the opposite side of the ivot, a ivoted rod 31 on which is a fixe or ad ustable collar 32 against which a spring 33 bears. This spring bears at the other end on a projection 34 mounted on the head 13 and the rod 31 has a latch or projection 35. A spring 36 on the projection 34 bears on the rod 31 and when the projection 15 is pushed back to the dotted l1ne position, compressing the spring 33, the spring 36 forces the rod over to the dotted line position and the latch looks it there until a button 37 is ressed to release it and reset the device. his does not depend upon a toggle action but other-- wise is similar to the form shown in the first two figures.

In all these forms I provide yielding means on one of the members for receiving or imparting a motion of rotation or any other motion that is to be transmitted. The

parts are held in osition for transmitting motion so that wit the ordinary resistance furnished by the machinery, the parts will be driven at all times and yet theywillyield when undue resistance is encountered and disconnect the parts. It is to be understood that this construction, constitutes a part of the driving means and is not manipuated to start or stop the machine in any way except when undue resistance is encountered and then the stoppage of the machine is entirely automatic. In each case the machine is started u again by merel pressing a button and t ere are no arts t at are likely to become broken in t e o eration of the stopping of the machine an nothing to be rep aced each time.

Although I have illustrated and described only two orms of the invention I am aware of the fact that other modifications can be made therein by any ersonskilled in the art without departing rom the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore I do not wish to be limited in this-respect but what I do claim is 1. Ina device of the character described, the combination with a driving member having a fixed projection eccentrically arranged and a driven member, of a lever pivotally mounted on the driven member and aving a part on one side of this pivot normally in the path of said fixed projection to transmit motion therefrom to the driven member, a rod pivotally connected with said lever on the other side of said pivot, a spring on the rod for holding the lever in driving position, said spring being capable of yieldmg to allow the lever to be forced out of having a fixed driving position when undue resistance is encountered and means for holding the lever in inactive position until reset.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a driving member rojection eccentrically arranged and a riven member, of a lever ivotally mounted on the driven member and iiavinga part normally in the ath of said projection to transmit motion t erefrom to the driven member, a rod pivotally connected with said lever, a spring on the rod for holding the lever in drivin position, said spring being capable of yielding to allow the lever to be forced out of driving undue resistance is encountere ,said rod and lever constituting a tog le arrangement adapted to be swung out of the straight line on one side when the parts are in driving position and to swing out of the straight line on the other side when they are in nondriving position.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a driving and a driven member, of a projection on one of said members, a lever ivotally mounted on the other member and iiaving a part on one side of the pivot adapted to engage said projection, said ever, forming a be 1 crank, a rod pivotally connected with the opposite end of the lever and having a spring thereon, a. ide for the rod, a stop piece on the lever an two ad'ustable stopping screws, one to hold the evcr against motion in one direction beyond the driving position and the other to hold it against motion beyond the sition in which it will not engage the fixe rojection.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto aflixed my signature.

ENRY A. WISE WOOD.

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